Landon slides behind August. “August… August, I think Lex is planning on murdering me.”
I rush over. “Lex, wait!”
“Thank you, Deus. See, Deus loves me,” Landon says, looking relieved.
“You’re holding the mallet wrong. Grip it like this or it might slip out of your hands. You want the mallet to do the work, not you,” I coach Lex as I help him readjust his hands.
“Deus, no! Dammit! I thought you loved me!” Landon cries.
“Let’s not murder Landon,” Ellison says. “We might need him for something.”
“True,” I agree.
“Lex, why don’t you guys go first? That’ll be fun. Yeah…” Landon suggests, wanting to distract him.
“Come on, Lex, we’ll win this,” Nolan says as he takes a swing that goes far in the opposite direction. “Maybe.”
Lex gets him back on the right path before it switches to Landon and August’s turn. Landon’s swing is so pitiful that it gets stuck on a mound of grass, but August recovers and sends the ball through the first hoop. Brandon smashes his so hard it hits the hoop and flies off in the other direction, leaving Paisley to try to direct it back. And Mark and Patricia get theirs close to the hoop.
Ellison swings and it stops somewhat in the right direction before I take the mallet from him and give the ball a tap, sending the ball through the first hoop, knocking August’s ball out of my way, ricocheting off the wall, and through the second hoop.
“Here, babe,” I say as I pass the mallet back for when it’s his turn again.
“What the fuck was that?” Landon asks.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I say, quite pleased with myself.
“Deus is cheating!” he cries. “August, we need to win.”
“Of course, hon.”
Landon gets really into it at that point, trying his hardest, but every single time, he misses the shot he needs to take. Then he decides that his life goal is smashing my ball off course, which he actually accomplishes. He’s quite smug when it comes to our turn.
“You got this, My Lord of Suits,” I encourage while Ellison takes his swing as he tries to get our ball back on course, but Landon had sent it so far off, it’s still quite a ways from it.
“I tried,” Ellison says, a little uncertain.
“There’s no way you can get it through that hoop at that angle,” Landon states,veryproud of himself.
I grab the mallet and swing as everyone watches with bated breath when the ball goes in the opposite direction.
“Ha! Where are you going? Your next hoop is that way!” Landon says, grinning until he sees my ball smash into his, sending it careening off course and throwing mine back on course as it hits the edge of the chair that Mark is currently sitting on, ricochets off a rock, and slides through the hoop.
“What were you saying?” I ask.
Landon growls at me. “August, kick his ass.”
“It’s just a game, honey. We can still come in… fourth.”
“Fourth? I want to win!” Landon says, and I notice that the next time he swings the ball, it does a very peculiar curve right through the hoop.
“Cheater,” I accuse.
“Who? Me? NO! I wouldnever,” Landon says.
While I wait for my turn, I walk up behind Ellison where he’s standing alone and drape my arms over his shoulders as I lean my head next to his. “How’s it feel to smoke their asses?” I ask.
“Honestly? I’m having more fun watching Landon get flustered than winning.”
